This invention realtes to a web dispenser and, more particularly to a device for dispensing or extracting a web which may carry a useful material such as a fluid. For example, premoistened, tissue-like material has been available for many years in the form of packets such as moisture proof envelopes. More recently, such tissue has been provided in bulk form in a container having a dispensing closure equipped with a contoured slit -- see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,749,296 and 3,868,052. The dispensing closures of the art have suffered from the drawback of requiring specialized techniques in dispensing, i.e., requiring specialized techniques in dispensing, i.e., requiring that the towelette material be pulled in a specific direction and/or in a specific manner. More importantly, no one in the web dispensing art saw fit to use a caged-ball type of dispenser -- notwithstanding the fact that these are widely used, as in roll-on deodorants.
The roll-on type dispensers have been limited to dispensing fluid materials and efforts have been concentrated to make them leakproof. This also helped to prevent evaporation of the material from the containers. The fitment cap and the roller ball had to be of exacting dimensions with a very narrow clearance between the fitment and the ball.
The instant invention gets away from the previous ideas by changing the dimensions of the roller ball and the cap where larger clearance is allowed between fitment cap and the ball to allow the web to pass through. The ball is used to lock in, hold and dispense the web and guide it in the upward direction acting as pop-up valve for the web material. The gentle drag becomes smooth on pulling the moist web as the ball rolls and the continuous squeezing action on the moist web material provides lubricating fluid decreasing the friction on the ball.
An advantage of the invention is the way in which the dispensing system is put together. The fitment cap is of such a configuration and dimension that it allows the ball to snap in the position from the bottom. The support mechanism is so constructed that it allows the degree of freedom of rotation on the ball at the same time narrow enough that the ball could not snap out on pulling the web for dispensing. Further advantageously, the moist tissue material is inserted through the fitment clearance and then the ball is snapped in position in that sequence. The web material may be cut, slotted or perforated at spaced intervals. The web material may be moistened, or coated, with water, alcohol, emulsions pharmaceutical preparations, ointment, vegetable oils, creams, hand lotions, vaseline and the web material may be selected from a variety of materials such as non-woven fabrics, woven fabrics, i.e., cotton, nylon and other plastic webs.